Machine for molding concrete blocks.



No. 810,025. i PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906. W. G. BENNETT & J. I'. SEYI'ANG.

MACHINE FCR MOLDING CONCRETE BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3.1905A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.v

W. G. BENNETT & J. I. SEYIANG. MACHINE FCR MOLDINC CONCRETE BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3,1905.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

llllllIllllllHlIlll WITNESSES. 54 c. 44M@ NvENToRS uNrrnn STATES 'I OFFIOE.

WALTER Gr. BENNETT AND JOHN F. SEYFANG, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR MOLDlNe. CONCRETE BLOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16,- 1906.

Application filed August 3.1905. Serial No. 272,522.

To all zul/1,0m it may concer-rb:

` Be it known that we, WALTER G. BEN- NETT and JOHN F. SEYFANG, citizens of the United States, and residents of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Molding Concrete Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a machine fory molding building-blocks, and has for its object to produce a molding-machine for the purpose that is adapted to conveniently and blocks that are adapted when laid up in a expeditiously mold cement concrete into various forms of blocks required for the construction of the walls of buildings and other purposes.

A further object is to provide a machine of the kind that is adapted to mold hollovsT hinged sides and ends of a bonding-chimneyblock mold in open position on the moldingtable. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the moldtable with the chimney-block mold in closed position thereon. of the machine on line X X of Fig. 2, showing the flue-core elevated. Fig. 4 is a similar section on line y ,U of Fig. 2, showing all the cores lowered and the paving-block mold-l frame .elevated and a paving-block molded therein. Fig. 5 shows a mold for a columnsection. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a mold for a hollow wall-block, and Fig. 7 shows a section of a water-table or coping-block mold with the molded block therein.

In the drawings, 1 represents a rectangu-V lar box-shaped table-top, having integral therewith around its sides and ends flush with their bottom edges an outwardly-eX- tending base iiange or ledge .2. The top 1 is suitably mounted and supported on the end frames 3, comprising the legs 4 and cross-bars 5 and 6, and the frames are cross-connected and braced by the spiders 7 and 8, which are Fig. 3 is a vertical section4` bolted to the legs one above the other to form a solid and substantial support for the table-top and for the attachment and support of the guides and bearings of the mechanism for projecting and withdrawing the cores of the molds. y

The cross-bars 6 are provided with alined bearings 9, near the front legs of the side frames, in which is mounted a rock-shaft 10, which has end portions projecting outside the bearings, on which are mounted the toothed segments 11 andattsuitable intervals between thefbearings the toothed segments 12 and 13. Each segment is provided with a set-screw 14, by which it may be secured against turning on the shaft. There is also mounted on one projecting end of the rock-shaft the operating-lever 15, which has pivoted to its central portion a ratchet-pawl 16, which is adapted to engage incuts 17 .in an arc-bar 18, suitably located and secured to the adjacent end frame. The ratchet-pawl 16 is connected by a rod 19 to a spring-resisted hand-grasp lever 20, pivoted to the handle portion 21 of the lever 1'5 and adapted to be jointly grasped therewith and to automatically engage the ratchet-pawl with the incuts of the arc-bar when released and to The segments 11 intermesh with rack-bars 22, which are mounted vertical in upper guide-bearings 23 and lower guide-bearings 24, formed, respectively, in lugs 25 and 26 of .theupper and lower cross-bars 7 and 8, and

29, having opposite side members 30 extend-- ing in opposite directions at right angles to the central member. Opposite each side member 30 and in engagement therewith is provided the rectangular core-bars 32 and 33, which are mounted vertical in guide-in- "disengage it therefrom when drawn toward the handle 21.

IOO

cuts 32a and 33a, for-med, respectively, in the.

spiders 7 and 8 in alinement and adapted to guide vertical movement of the bars. The bars 32 and 33 are each provided with a lon- Ilo and in the to gitudinal slot 34, through which extends a bolt 35, the threaded end of which also extends through a bolt-hole in the adjacent side member 30 of the angle-plate 29 and is provided with a thumb-nut 36, by which the core-bar is secured to the side member. On the top ends of the core-bars 32 and 33 are respectively centrally secured the elongated ventilator-core 37 and the cylindrical lluecore 38, which are together used in forming a bonding chimney-block. The elongated core may also be separately used in molds for elongated wall-blocks, and the cylindrical core may also be separately used with a special cylindrical mold for forming porch-column sections.

The -toothed quadrant 13 is of increased radius and intermeshes with a rack-bar 39, which extends vertically through suitable alined guide-openings in the spiders 7 and 8,

end of the rack-bar 39 is centrally secure a cylindrical core 4() of reduced diameter, that is adapted for use in forming porch-column sections of reduced diameters.

The table-top 1 is provided with suitable openings for the projection of each of the cores 37, 38, and 40 through the table-to The cores are of equal height, and when fully projected they are adapted to form openings through blocks of the maximum thickness. The cores 37 and 38 may be either separately or simultaneously projected by the operating- `lever 15, the set-screw of the segment 12 being tightened on the rock-shaft, according as the thumb-nuts 36 of the bolts'35 are tightened or loosened to compress the bolts on the side members 30 and the core-bars 32 and 33, respectively.

The operating-lever 15 is so mounted on lthe rock-shaft relative to the segments that when the, cores are all below the table-top the leveris in a horizontal position, and when raised upward from that position slightly more than ninety degrees of the arc of its movement it will fully project the cores 37 and 38 through the table-top, and the arcbar 16 is provided with an inout 17 to receive the ratchet-pawl at a point which adapts the pawl to hold the cores fully projected, and between this upper incut and the lower limit of the movement of the lever incuts 17 are -provided in the arc-bars at such intervals as will. establish the projection of the cores for blocks of different fractional `thicknesses of above the table-top as the cores 37 and 38, when the ratchet-pawl is in engagement with any one of the intermediate incuts 17.

To form wall-blocks of the different shapes and dimensions required in the construction of the walls of a building, there is provided a special form of hinged mold-box for each special form of block and for each thickness of each form.

The special forms of mold-boxes required in ordinary construction are the main wallblock mold 41a, the water-table or copingblock mold 41h, and the bonding-chimneyblock mold 41C. rI`he main wall-block'mold 41 a comprises a rectangular plate 42, forming the rear sides of the mold, the end plates 43, hinged to the plate 42 and adapted to abut the ends of the plate and form therewith right-angle corners, and a front side plate 44, adapted to abut the free ends of the end plates 43 and form therewith right-angle corners of the box. The box thus formed is secured together by hook-latches 45,'pivotal1y secured to the ends of the side 44 and engaging latch studs or staples 46 o f the end plates. The end plates are provided ontheir inner faces with half-cylindrical core-blocks 47, arranged to be in lline with the core 37 when the mold-b ox is placed o n the table-top, and to insure and facilitate the mold-boxbeing properly located around the core the bottom edge face of the plate 42 is provided with projecting dowel-pins 48, adapted to enter holes in the table-top suitably located and adapted to receive them.

Before attaching the front side plate a pallet having dimensions adapting it to fit between the sides and ends of the mold-box as a bottom therefor and provided with an opening adapted to register with the opening in the table-top for the core 37 is placed in position registering the openings, and the front plate 44 being then attached and thellever raised to project the core through the pallet and the box the mold is ready to receive the concrete mixture, and being filled therewith and the concrete being tamped therein and the surplus being struck 0H even with the top of the mold the block is completed.

To remove the block, the front plate of the mold is unlatched and removed, and the end plates are swung back on their hinges. The block may then be carried on the pallet to a place of storage, and the block and pallet being inverted and deposited the pallet may be removed for use in forming another block. The blocks formed in the mold 41:L have a central elongated opening 50 and at the. ends semicylindrical cavities 51 in line longitudinally of the block with the central opening, as shown in Fig. 6, and the blocks thus formed and laid up end to end in bonding courses form continuous air-spaces extend- IOO IIO

ing from bottom to top of the wall, with the central openings of the blocks of each course connected by the cylindrical openings formed by the cavities of the joined ends of the blocks of the next vcourse with the central openings of the blocks of the third course, and so on throughout the entire wall.

The core-blocks 47 are detachably secured to the end plates of the mold-box 41a by a screw 52, and Jfor forming the corner-blocks of each wall-course one of the core-blocks 47 is removed from the mold-box.

To form blocks for a water table or coping, a special mold-box 41h, constructed, as shown in Fig. 7, to form a projecting table 53, is used in conjunction with the core 37. For this form of block a detachable Jront side plate 44b has its lower portion adapted to form the under side and outer edge of the water-table, and the lower portions of the abutting ends of the hinged end plates are extended to conform therewith. To form the upper bevel of the water-table, the pallet,A

49b is provided with a bevel 54. Otherwise the mold-box 41b is constructed similar tol thel mold-box 41, and the end plates are each provided with a core-block 47 for all the blocks of the water-table course except the end blocks, in which one core-block 47 is To form a bonding chimney-block that is adapted to be run in courses with the wallblocks described, weemploy a mold-box 41C, in conjuction with which is used, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cores 37'LL and 38. This mold-box is rectangular and comprises the rear plate 55, to which is hinged at one end the end plate 56 of equal dimensions and to the opposite end the angled end plate 57, which is also of equal dimensions with plate 56 and is bent central of its length at a right angle in a direction away from the plate 56, the plate 58, which is one-half the length of the plate 57 and is hinged to the free end of the plate 57, and a detachable side plate 59.

The plates 56 and 57 are hinged to abut the ends of the rear plate 55 at right angles. The plate 58 is hinged to the outer end ofthe plate 57 at a right angle, and the plate 59 is of a length to abut the free ends of the plates 56 and 58 at right angles to each when the plates 56, 57 and 58 are at right angles and abutting the plates to which they are hinged. The ends of the plate 59 are provided with hooks 60, which are adapted, respectively, to engage studs 61, projecting from the outer faces of the plates 56 and 58 and lock the parts together.

The mold-box thus constructed is adapted in its dimensions to form a rectangular chimneyblock oi' uniform thickness with the wallblock and slightly more than twice the length of the wall-block on the outer face, and which for three-fourths of its length has double the width of the wall-block and for the remaining one-fourth is of equal width with the wallblock, forming a bonding extension 62 from the main body portion 63 of the block, the extension being one-half the length of a wallblock and of equal width and thickness, whereby the chimney-block may be laid in courses and bonded with the wall-blocks by inverting the chimney-blocks of alternate courses and registering the Hue-openings formed by the core 38.

To form bonding chimneyblocks, the mold-box 41 is located on the table-top in proper position around the corenopenings by dowel-pins 64, projecting from the bottom face of the plate 55 and set into suitable holes in the table-top, and the walls of the box are closed around a pallet 65, fitting the mold as a bottom and having core-openings registered with the openings in the table-top for the cores 37 and 38. Preferably, however, a core 37L of reduced width is substituted for the core 37, as shown in Fig. 1, and the opening in the pallet to receive it is also proportionately reduced.

To arrange the machine for molding the bonding chimney-block, the side members oi' the rack-plate 29 are secured to the corebars 32 and 33, respectively, by tightening the nuts 36 on the bolts 35. The segment 12 is tightened on the rock-shaft 10 by its setscrew and the set-screws oi segments 11 and 13 are loosened. The cores 37 'il and 38 are then fully projected by the lever and locked in such position by the pawl 16. The operations of molding, withdrawing the cores, opening the mold-box, and removing the block is the same as described for a wallblock. f

For molding sections of a porch-column cylindrical molds 41d of diameters suitable to either of the cores 38 and 40 are employed. These molds are constructed, as shown in Fig. 5, of longitudinal half-sections 66, hinged to abut and forni a complete cylinder and to open for the removal of the section. One section 66 is provided with dowel-pins and the table-top with holes to receive them and adapted to locate the mold concentric to the core-opening. For this mold an annular pallet having a central opening registering with the core-opening in the table-top and iitting A the bottom of the mold when closed around it may be used or omitted, as desired.

The machine being arranged to project the IOO core suited to the diameter of the mold used, the operations of projecting the core, molding, and removing the molded section are the same as before described for other forms of blocks.

For molding paving-blocks all the segments excepting segment 1]. are loosened on the shaft 10, and the lever is raised to elevate the mold-frame 2.7, so as to project the sides of the frame above the'table-top the distance required for the thickness of the block and the pallet 67., on which it is molded and by which it is removed, as shown in Fig. 4. When the mold thus formed is filled, tamped, and struck off, the lever is released and lowered, thereby lowering the frame to its normal position, which permits of the removal of the pallet and block from thetable-top It is manifest that by providing the pallet 67 with a central core of the desired form and dimensions, either rectangular or cylindrical, there can be readily molded in the frame 27 tops for catch-basins and the like or that by providing the pallet with subdividing partition-strips slabs of various lengths, thickness, and widths may be readily and expeditiously formed within the frame as a mold. It is obvious, also, that either the back or the front plate of the hinged mold 41a may be adapted on its inner face to produce a "rockface finish on the outer wall of the wallblocks and also that by providing a hinged mold having those plates curved to the arc of a required circle wall-blocks for towers, bay-windows, and the like running uniform with wall-blocks molded in the mold 41a may be readily produced.

It will thus be seen that we have produced a machine that, in combination with a variety of hinged molds, is adapted to facilitate the molding of the diHerent-shaped blocks entering into the construction of a building, as well as blocks for other purposes.

What we claim to be new is- 1. In a machine for molding concrete blocks, the combination with a mold-table having openings for the projection of cores above the table from beneath, of cores for the openings, an`articulated mold adapted to surround one or more of the core-openings, means to project the cores singly or collectively through their respective openings into the mold, and to withdraw them therefrom, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for molding buildingblocks, the combination of a support, a table provided with core openings, mounted on the support, a core for each opening, means to jointly or severally project the cores different distances through their respective table-openings, and withdraw them therefrom, means to support the cores at different distances of projection through and above the `Itable, and a plurality of articulated moldframe surrounding the table, a rock-shaft journaled on the support, toothed segments mounted on the shaft, each adapted to be tightened or loosened thereon, stems for the cores and the mold-frame, each movable upwardly and downwardly in guides of the support, racks for the stems intermeshing with the segments, and adapted to move the stems as moved by the segments, a lever for the rock-shaft adapted to rock the segments jointly or severally as tightened on the shaft and thereby move the racks to severally or collectively project or withdraw the cores and the mold-frame, means to lock the lever at different distances of its movement and support the cores or the mold-frame at different elevations, and articulated moldsadapted to be located on the table around the coreopenings, substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine for molding concrete blocks, the combination with a boX table-top mounted on a support, of a mold-frame telescopically mounted around the table-top and movable upwardly to raise portions of its sides and ends above the level of the tabletop and form therewith a mold-box, and downwardly to withdraw the frame, means to raise and lower the mold-frame, means to support the mold-frame at different distances of its movement and a movable pallet mounted on the table-top and tting the raised portions of the sides and ends of the mold-frame as a bottom.

5. In a machine for molding hollow wall- IOO blocks, the combination with a table-top proy vided 4with core-openings, a movable core for each opening, and mechanism for projecting the cores through their respective openings singly or collectively, of a plurality of mold-boxes -respectively adapted to receive one or more of the cores and to form therewith complementary wall-blocks of different forms for the same or different courses, said mold-boxes comprising end plates hinged to the ends of one side plate, one removable side plate, and a half-core for one or both the end plates, adapted to form halves of jointopeningsadapted to connect the central coreopenings of blocks above and below the oint, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine for molding concrete wallblocks, the-combination with a table top provided with one elongated and one cylin- IIO drical core-opening, a movable core for each In witness whereof we have hereunto opening, and mechanism for jointly or sevsigned our names, in the presence of two suberally projecting the cores through their rescribing witnesses, this 25th day of July,

spective openings, of two hinged mold-boxes l 1905, at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and I5 5 one ada ted to receivetherenl the elongated State of Ohio.

core an form therewith a hol ow wall-blool having half-joint openings, and the other to SETT' receive both the elongated and cylindrical core and form therewith a chimney-block In presence of` 1o having an extension adapted to bond with GRACE CowDRIoK,

the wall-block, substantially as set forth. WALTER A. EVERSMAN. 

